Tricare Help!

[Galvanfoxtrot]

So I have my dependent ID card and everything is set with DEERS already. My husband is in A school right now.

I have questions about the type of coverage we have with Tricare. How do you know what type of coverage you have and how does one find out deductibles, etc?

Im very new to this and need some help learning the ropes! I'm trying to make doctors appts for myself but want to know what I'm getting into.

 

Anyone have any information or if you could point me in the right direction it would be greatly appreciated!

[abuon18]

Most likely you have TriCare Standard- that's the one you're automatically enrolled into. If you want TriCare Prime you have to call or go to the website to enroll yourself so you would know if you had done that.

I have standard too and have never once paid a co-pay or deductible for a visit with my civilian general practitioner. I've only paid when I've seen specialists, had lab work, X-rays, etc. The best way to find out would just be to call TriCare and talk to someone who can look up your individual policy and let you know specifically for you. It's different for everyone!

TriCare Dental you have to enroll yourself in, it is not automatic. TriCare Visi

[abuon18]

(Sorry I'm on my phone!)

TriCare Vision covers one exam per year but does not cover any part of the cost of glasses or contacts.

[EmilyNicole98]

To add on:

Tricare Standard means you see civilian doctors. You have a lot more flexibility because you get to choose your doctors. This one is more expensive and you might have co-pays. I chose to stay on standard because it lets me use my university's health center and most of their services are completely free to begin with. There's almost never a wait to get in and there's female doctors, whereas at the base hospital they're all men.

Tricare Prime means you have to see the doctors on base and you do not get to pick who your PCM is. It's cheaper, but there's no flexibility whatsoever. There's often long waits to get in, and you have to get special referrals to see any specialty civilian doctor. 

MetLife is the dental program you can choose to enroll yourself in if you want and it's about $10 a month. I think you get two free cleanings a year and they pay for a good chunk of anything you need done.

 

[EmilyNicole98]

It's true here, but of course every command is different. I have an opposite statement to every single one of yours, so clearly our two bases aren't alike at all. I specifically asked if I could chose my PCM and I was told no. The wait is so long to get in that most people just see whatever doctor is available first anyway. 

[Angie]

http://www.tricare.mil/

If your husband has no idea what he enrolled you in, call Tricare and ask them

[meagan5220]

I agree with Angie simply call Tricare. But typically it's standard unless you physically enroll in prime. As far as prime... it really varies by base. I know in some places they have very few military doctors for people to see. And my friend had the flu and the soonest they could see her says 3 weeks. Even her in Hamtpon Roads area it's hit or miss. I have a friend that almost died from a codeine withdrawal because she had separate doctors prescribing her codeine and went to see another doctor who gave her more and a third doctor refuse to refill her rd not knowing how long she had been on it because he didn't read her past records. I have heard people get right in here and others who end up having to switch to standard bc they can't get into the mtf but Tricare refuses to switch them to a civilian doctor on prime. I have other friends that love being on prime here and never have issues. But 90% of my friends on prime where I am now have nothing but bad things to say about level of care and wait time. But I know where we were stationed it was easier to get seen out it town because they didn't even have an OBGYN on base and very few other doctors so a lot of people had to be assigned to doctors out in town. And didn't have issues with referrals and getting the PCS they wanted 

[Anti M]

We do well with Prime, but it is annoying when I can't get out to base and they won't let me go to Urgent Care in town.  Overall, I'm happy because they've saved my life.  But we're retirees and live near an AF base, not Navy.  The bigger Naval hospitals and clinics at the big bases just suck.  They need family clinics which aren't overrun.

Our care is affordable, it simply is not accessible.  Someone call Congress ... ha.

[Angie]

We have outreach clinics here in Kenosha for retiree's and their families, they are good and can get us in the same day if we are sick...even though they are not my PCM they still took me for sick call.  Just an fyi for the retiree's

[meagan5220]

Yeah I have definitely seen some people  love prime and say great things about their doctors and others that hate it. I know I was born on a mil base and had hearing issues when I was young luckily had a great doctor that figured it out before I permanently lost too much!!! Crazy enough he actually moved to the same state we did later down the road and I ended up playing softball with and against his daughter all the way to high school and my family was always close with him. I had a friend that just had a great birth and pregnancy st the local AF hospital then a week later hear a horror story of a woman's baby being taken during to error and failure to wait for test results. People rave about Portsmouth the local Navy hospital but then the next day you hear horror stories.